In global terms, in addition to nearly € 100 billion from the EU budget, these 118 RDPs will generate more than € 60 billion in further public funding (at national or regional level), plus large amounts in private funds.

Initial figures show an impressive number of cumulative figures – restructuring and modernisation grants on more than 350 000 farm holdings around the EU with all the economic and environmental potential benefit that this brings; start-up support for approaching 180 000 young farmers; nearly 4 million training places; 3 000 interactive innovation projects under the EIP; more than 1/6 of farmland will be under contracts to support biodiversity or landscapes, and just over 10 million hectares of farmland will be farmed organically.

The RDPs go beyond farming, however, with indication that more than 120 000 non-agricultural jobs will be directly created because of this investment; and 18 million people in rural areas will benefit from improved access to Broadband internet access, with the help that this brings in terms of helping facilitate new SMEs and improve the overall quality of life in rural areas.

RDPs in Italy

Today's green light for Puglia and Sicily mean that all 23 Italian RDPs – 21 regional, as well as the national RDP and the Rural Network programme - have now been approved, providing a total amount of funding for Italy worth € 20.87 billion, of which € 10.44 billion will come from the EU budget for Rural Development and € 10.43 billion from Italian public funds at national or regional level with further investment expected from private funds.

As with all RDPs, today's approved programmes are designed to respond to economic, environmental and social issues in rural areas in line with the specific conditions and priorities of these regions, based on the menu of options available under the EU framework.

This is clearly illustrated by the array of schemes outlined in these 2 programmes such as to give investment support to modernise and restructure 2 230 farms and to support almost 2 000 young farmers to launch their business in Puglia, or to have more than 1 000 jobs created in supported projects and more than 30% of the agricultural land under management contracts that improve biodiversity, water management and prevent soil erosion in Sicily.

Taking all 23 national or regional RDPs in Italy, more than 20 000 young farmers will receive support to launch their businesses, 27 000 agricultural holdings will get investment support to modernise and restructure, 17% of irrigated land will switch to more efficient systems, and more than 3 000 jobs will be created through LEADER local development strategies.

RDPs in France

The all clear for the 5 remaining French Rural Development programmes (RDPs) – for Guyane, Haute Normandie, Limousin, Lorraine and Picardie - means that all 30 French RDPs – including the national framework programme and the national RDP and 22 for the French mainland – have now been approved, providing a total amount of funding for France worth € 15.9 billion, of which € 11.4 billion will come from the EU budget for Rural Development, and € 4.5 billion from public funds at national or regional level with further investment expected from private funds.

As with all RDPs, today's approved programmes are designed to respond to economic, environmental and social issues in rural areas in line with the specific conditions and priorities of these regions, based on the menu of options available under the EU framework.

Taking all 30 national or regional RDPs in France together, more than 38 000 young farmers will receive support to launch their businesses, 11.3% of agricultural holdings will get investment support to modernise and restructure, more than 150 000 people will receive additional training and nearly 500 000 farm holdings will be supported to sign up for risk management tools. Moreover, roughly 2.8 million hectares in France will be covered by agri-environment and climate measures. And nearly 17 million rural inhabitants will benefit from improved services, notably high speed internet connection and approaching 3 000 jobs will be created alone through LEADER local development strategies.

The new RD Regulation for the 2014-2020 period addresses six economic, environmental and social priorities, and programmes contain clear targets setting out what is to be achieved. It put also emphasis on networking activities at EU and national level.

Moreover, in order to coordinate actions better and maximise synergies with the other European Structural & Investment Funds (ESIF), a Partnership Agreement has been agreed with each Member State highlighting its broad strategy for EU-funded structural investment.